BANGALORE: The Professional Colleges (Determination of Fees and Regulation of Admissions) Bill will be tabled in the Budget session of the State Legislature, beginning on March 20, Higher Education Minister D.H. Shankaramurthy said here on Thursday.

Mr. Shankaramurthy told presspersons that the aim of the legislation was to regulate admissions in private professional colleges and for the first time, it will bring in rules for setting the fee structure for the courses run by private institutions.

According to him, the Bill is likely to be tabled and passed on March 21, a day after the Budget, and the rules will be framed by the month-end.

The Bill will reintroduce reservation in private non-minority institutions, for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. The quota will be 34 per cent in minority institutions.

Through this Bill, the State Government will provide statutory status to the Admission Overseeing and Fee Regulatory Committees, which have been functioning for the past two years. The Fee Committee will fix college-specific fees for all categories of seats. Under this proposed legislation, collection of capitation fees or fees in excess of the sum determined by the committee can attract a fine of Rs. 10 lakhs for the management. The Admissions Committee will supervise the conduct of entrance tests conducted by the institutions.

Meanwhile, the Consortium of Medical Engineering and Dental Colleges in Karnataka (COMED-K) has said that it is against negotiating with the Government at the officials' level, if the Government continues with its "anti-management stance".

This has raised a question mark over the fate of the two committees on fee structure and seat sharing. They feel they ought to have been consulted before the Bill was drafted.

Mr. Shankaramurthy said he was surprised at this response of the COMED-K and maintained that the Bill had been drafted in accordance with Supreme Court orders and as per constitutional provisions. "But I am sure the issues can be resolved to the satisfaction of all", he said.

The Dharam Singh government had sought to bring in the Karnataka Educational Institutions (Appropriation and Distribution of seats in unaided professional colleges) Bill in July last year to maintain Government quota for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, and other reserved categories.

But differences between the then Law Minister H.K. Patil, and Higher Education Minister D. Manjunath had led to the proposed legislation being pigeonholed.

Mr. Shankaramurthy said four of the six medical colleges announced last year at a cost of Rs. 27.5 crores each will become a reality soon.

The Government is ready to sanction new engineering colleges as well but the managements should demonstrate their adherence to stringent quality standards, he said.

The Government is considering a scheme of fee waiver for students from below the poverty line families who join the professional courses. The students should have scored 90 per cent marks to be eligible for fee waiver, he added.

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